MANILA, Sept 12 (NNN-PNA) – Philippine security forces, killed an Abu Sayyaf terror group’s bomb expert, in a clash in a remote village, in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, a military spokesman said.
Maj. Arvin Encinas, the spokesperson of the Philippine military’s Western Mindanao Command, identified the slain terrorist as Nanz Sawadjaan, the younger brother of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader, Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan.
“He was one of Abu Sayyaf group’s bomb experts, who produced the improvised explosive devices, used in the recent suicide bombing incidents in Sulu,” Encinas said.
The Philippines Armed Forces Joint Task Force, Sulu Commander, Brig. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, said, the killing of Sawadjaan on Tuesday, “is a great loss” to the group, adding, his death “will debilitate the current strategy employed by the group in creating havoc in the province.”
Two soldiers were wounded in Tuesday’s clash between the Philippine security forces and around 40 Abu Sayyaf fighters, in a remote village in Patikul town of Sulu province.– NNN-PNA